Industrial PVF prices have been so volatile this year, the biennial IPD Commodity Reports, published in July by the Industrial Piping Division of the American Supply Association exclusively for IPD members, was acknowledged by its authors to be largely out of date in the weeks it took from compilation to printing and distribution to the membership. Although this may be true for the hard data reported, the panel of IPD wholesalers and manufacturers that put together the report did a terrific job putting this self-described “wild and wacky” year into proper perspective.
“It is obvious that basic economic forces are in play,” commented Sheldon Nierman (Independent Pipe & Supply Co., Canton, Mass.) and Pat Adams (Missouri-Kansas Supply Co., Kansas City, Mo.), authors of the steel pipe section. “Sooner or later, supply and demand will reach a balance with the real question being, 'At what price?'